In large scale production and packaging of cookies, crackers, and other similar food items, it is desirable to arrange the cookies in an orderly manner and package them in a transparent material so that the cookies are visible from outside the package and are attractively presented for sale. To accomplish this, the cookies are packaged oftentimes in transparent cookie trays in a vertically aligned edge-standing arrangement in the trays to form a row or "slug" of edge-standing cookies. A single package of cookies typically contains several of these "slugs" of edge-standing cookies with the slugs aligned adjacent each other in an orderly arrangement.
Each slug of cookies has a first and last cookie at the ends of the slug, which end cookies are usually visible when transparent packaging is used. Because the tops or faces of the single layer cookies, as opposed to multiple layer sandwich crackers, usually are more decorative and appealing than the undersides of the cookies, it is desirable that the first and the last cookie of each slug of cookies be arranged facing outwardly at the end of the slug such that the face or the top surface of the cookies is exposed through the transparent wrapping. So arranged, consumer's can see the decorative tops of the cookies when they view or handle the package. Having the end cookies facing outwardly is especially desirable when the transparent portion of the wrappings is only around the sides of the package such that the tops of the end cookies are the most visible portions of the cookies.
In prior art methods for arranging cookies in cookie trays with the end cookies facing outwardly, an operator flips one of the end cookies by hand either after the slug has been formed or while the cookies move through a processing line. Such a manual process increases packaging costs.
Accordingly, a heretofore unaddressed need exists for an improved method and apparatus for automatically flipping or inverting the end cookie in a slug of cookies prior to loading the slug of cookies into a cookie tray.